The National Advisory Council (NAC) on the reform of Local Government has stepped up its drive to move the reform agenda forward.

Following instructions from the minister of state with responsibility for Local Government Reform, Robert Montague, the committee convened recently to advance its agenda.

The National Advisory Committee which is now being chaired by Professor Neville Duncan, due to the passing of Professor Rex Nettleford, agreed on working towards achieving some key tasks within a set time frame.

These include the evaluation and implementation of all recommendations made so far, develop a policy framework for the NAC to monitor the implementation of reforms, to review additional documentation relevant to the Local Government Process, the status of the Parish Reform and Local Public Accounts committees and the status of Parish Development Committees.

It was agreed that a sustainable public education programme be made a part of the Local Government Reform Process. It was noted that local people need to know what is involved in the process of Local Government Reform as well as the benefits to be derived from this process once it is completed.

Local Government Reform forms part of the government’s thrust, to achieve social transformation through a new paradigm of local governance which affords localities and communities greater scope for local self management and facilitates the active participation of citizens in the process.